Torsional vibration damper

Abstract

A torsional vibration damping apparatus, such as a clutch disc or clutch plate in an automated or manually operable friction clutch which is employed in the power train of a motor vehicle, has a rotary input component adapted to be driven by a prime mover, a rotary output component coaxial with the input component and arranged to transmit torque to a manually or automatically shiftable transmission, and several series-connected torsional vibration dampers serving to oppose rotation of the input and output components relative to each other. At least one of the dampers constitutes a preassembled module wherein coaxial annular input and output elements are provided with arcuate pockets for circumferentially extending coil springs serving to oppose rotation of the input and output elements relative to each other. The elements are further provided with rigid and / or resilient projections and / or other suitable confining configurations which can couple the elements to at least one of the coil springs to thus hold such elements against movement axially and away from each other.

Description

The present invention relates to improvements in torsional vibration dampers, and more particularly to improvements in apparatus which embody one or more dampers to prevent the transmission of torsional vibrations and / or other stray movements from a rotary input component to a rotary output component which can rotate with and relative to the input component.It is already known to prevent the transmission of undesirable vibratory and / or other stray movements from a rotary input component to a rotary output component by resorting to torque transmitting means in the form of several torsional vibration dampers. For example, the torque transmitting means can comprise a first or auxiliary damper with coaxial rotary input and output elements and one or more energy storing devices (such as coil springs) between such elements, and a second or main damper with energy storing devices which are normally stiffer (i.e., more resistant to deformation) than the energy storing device or devices of t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

An object of the instant invention is to provide a torsional vibration damping apparatus which can be assembled and installed (e.g., in the power train of a motor vehicle) in a novel and improved way.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive but highly versatile and reliable torsional vibration damping apparatus with plural dampers.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of reliably but separably assembling the constituents of a torsional vibration damper for use in a clutch disc or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a torsional vibration damping apparatus wherein the rotary input and output parts of at least one of plural torsional vibration dampers are designed and can be assembled with energy storing devices in a novel and improved manner.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved clutch disc or clutch plate which can be utilized as a superior substitute for the clutch discs or clutch plates of conventional design, e.g., in the automated or manually operable friction clutches for use in the power trains of motor vehicles to transmit torque between a prime mover (such as an internal combustion engine) and a manually or automatically shiftable transmission.

Problems solved by technology

At such time, the engine-driven flywheel cooperates with an axially movable rotary pressure plate of the friction clutch to drive the clutch disc (e.g., with minimal slip or without slip between the friction surfaces of the flywheel and the clutch disc on the one hand, and the respective sets of friction linings of the clutch disc on the other hand) but the clutch disc cannot cause the wheels of the motor vehicle to rotate because the transmission which is to transmit torque from the clutch disc to the wheels is disengaged, i.e., in neutral gear.

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